Blackbody characterization and analysis for infrared scene projection

Abstract

The Space Systems Test Facility (SSTF) at the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) has tested interceptor, airborne, and space-based infrared sensors for over 30 years. In that time, the 7V Chamber has been the primary calibration facility at AEDC. It is used to perform sensor characterization, calibration, and mission simulation testing. The 10V Chamber has been developed to perform hardware-in-the-loop sensor testing. A crucial aspect of this testing is the accurate simulation of point-source targets. The sources used must be able to simulate the range and temperature of the simulated target for realistic testing. A detailed characterization and analysis program is conducted to ensure their radiometric fidelity. The 7V Chamber has a total of six blackbody sources. Four are used as point targets, one is a flood source, and one is a standard reference source. For every chamber pumpdown, source calibrations are performed and radiometric data are taken. The data are then used to perform uncertainty analyses. A total of four blackbody sources are used in the 10V Chamber. Two of these blackbodies are used for point targets, one is a standard reference source, and the final blackbody is a spare. All four blackbodies have been tested and compared with NIST-traceable blackbodies at AEDC. The design and testing of these sources is discussed.